


Sixty-Nine Cents

by TearStainedAshes



Series: Convin Challenge 2019 [8]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, First Date, Flirting, Fluff, German Connor, Italian Gavin Reed, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 17:05:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19066930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TearStainedAshes/pseuds/TearStainedAshes
Summary: Gavin and Connor the barista are finally going on their lunch date! A continuation ofWait a minute... who ARE you?that I wrote for day 1 of the Convin Challenge. So do please read that first for context.Convin Challenge Day 9: Any AU





	Sixty-Nine Cents

**Author's Note:**

> This took me _so long_ to write. The fluff was killing me. So I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it ^_^

Gavin couldn’t sleep. He was tired after working all night, sure. But after meeting Connor and planning their lunch date, he’d found more energy than he knew what to do with. He rode home and showered, scrubbing at his skin to wash away the work day. He contemplated shaving, but he had gathered Connor liked the scruff if his eagerness to run his fingers over his cheeks and jaw was any indication.

He hopped out of the shower and dried himself off, changing into clean clothes that didn’t smell like burnt coffee and stale cigarettes. He ran a comb through his hair and sprayed some leave-in conditioner on it, combing it through before deeming it good enough for the moment. He still had four fucking hours until he had to pick Connor up. What the fuck was he supposed to do with all that time?

He decided to just veg out on the couch and watch TV. He plopped down and grabbed a blanket to cover up with. Heat cost money, and even if the temperature was still in the mid-50s he wasn’t about to turn his heat up above 70 just yet. He channel surfed before settling on a mini marathon of _CSI_ reruns.

He woke up three hours later, his alarm blaring. He slammed his hand over his phone and it quieted down, the TV still on in the background. He groaned and ran his hand over his face. When had he fallen asleep? He pushed himself back up into a sitting position and scrubbed his hands over his face. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but he supposed getting a few hours of rest before the date was better than none at all.

He wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and shuffled back to the bathroom. He’d definitely need to do something with his hair now. The right side had dried flat against his head from where he’d fallen asleep on it, and the left stuck up like it wanted him to become a cockatoo. He scowled at his reflection, at his hair and the bags under his eyes. He was only twenty eight for fuck’s sake. How did he already look so old? And why was Connor even attracted to him?

He sighed and wet his hands down, trying to distract himself from his spiraling thoughts. He wouldn’t allow himself to psych himself out of something that could potentially be great for him. Not again. He wouldn’t let himself lose Connor before he’d even managed to hold onto him.

He ran his wet hands through his hair, the blanket falling off his shoulders and onto the floor while he worked. Once it was damp enough he reached for some mousse and a pomade. He didn’t want to do anything _too_ fancy with his hair, since it would most likely be flattened by his motorcycle helmet, but he had to do _something_. He settled on a soft wave type style, working the mousse in before blow drying it in place. He used the pomade for a bit of extra style before spraying everything down with hairspray.

After he deemed his appearance acceptable, he returned to the bedroom to freshen up his clothes. He’d have to work with the t-shirt he was already wearing because he didn’t want to ruin his hair. So he slipped a dark brown jacket on to go with the green shirt and pulled on a decent pair of jeans. Once he got his boots laced he double checked himself in the mirror, his heart pounding and his stomach in knots.

He was glad he remembered to grab the spare helmet from his closet before he left. He had another jacket already stowed on the bike for emergencies, so hadn’t had to worry about that. He locked the door behind him and took the elevator down to the garage, walking back over to his bike.

He stowed the helmet away and threw his sunglasses on before slipping his own helmet on. He started the engine and kicked up the stand, revving it before taking off. He relaxed as he felt the wind whipping at his clothes, watching the people blur as he passed them. He would be fine. It was a simple date. That was all. A date with a cute stranger he’d only met that morning after a mis-text late at night.

When had his life turned into a rom-com?

He pulled up outside the alley by the Squirrel’s Cage Café and parked, killing the engine before people could complain. He hopped off after kicking down the stand and pulled his helmet off. He set it on the seat, playing with his hair for a bit before forcing himself to stop lest he make it worse than it most likely already was.

He leaned against his motorcycle and pulled the pack of cigarettes Tina had gifted him out of his jacket. He lit one and pocketed the rest, only wanting to settle his nerves. He still had about ten minutes until Connor’s shift ended, and he didn’t want to just stand around looking like an idiot. So the smoking took the edge off and gave him something to do versus just standing outside a coffee shop without having any coffee.

He finished the cigarette far too soon, flicking it to the ground and stomping it out under his boot. He contemplated having another, but he heard the door to the café’s employee entrance open up behind him. He turned to look and he felt his entire face light up when Connor exited the building, his hair in a bit of disarray from the stress of the day. It was curly and wavy and looked fashionably unkempt. They caught each other’s eyes and Connor blushed, a warm smile lighting up his face.

“Hey,” he uttered softly, his shoulders dropping as the tension eased.

“Hey there, potions master,” Gavin teased, throwing Connor a salacious wink. Connor blushed and walked over, hanging his head so his bangs swept over his forehead.

“Hey,” he mumbled, his face as red as a cherry tomato.

“Hey, don’t hide your face, Connor.” Gavin tsked and reached up to brush his hair out of his face. Connor blushed even more, the red flush extending down his neck.

“Hey,” he mumbled again, shooting Gavin a shy smile.

“Hey,” he repeated, both of them snorting at the unnecessary repetition of the word.

“We should probably stop saying that,” Connor muttered, still not meeting Gavin’s eyes. “We’ve said it far too much.”

“Why so bashful all of a sudden, Con?” Gavin asked, placing his hand on Connor’s cheek. It was hilariously warm, but he didn’t want to make Connor feel bad by seemingly laughing at his discomfort.

“It’s not like we haven’t already kissed or anything,” he added. Connor managed a weak chuckle, but it didn’t sound happy. He was just as nervous as he was, which certainly helped Gavin relax.

“I wasn’t sure if you were going to come,” he muttered, hanging his head again.

“Of course I was! I wouldn't leave you hangin’ like that.” He took Connor’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Connor ducked his face again and ran his hand along the back of his neck.

“I wanted to text you again but I didn't,” he mumbled.

“And I should’ve texted you to let you know I was actually coming,” Gavin added. “That’s my bad. But we should head out soon. I’m starving. How about you?"

“Yeah, I’m pretty hungry,” he answered, finally straightening up to his full height. “You were gonna take us to an Italian place, right?”

“Yeah. You still up for it?”

“Definitely.”

“Good.” He turned to hand Connor the spare jacket and helmet, smiling at him. “Put these on. You'll want ‘em.”

“Thanks.” He slipped the jacket on and zipped it up. It fit almost perfectly, but it was a bit short in the arms. Gavin shorted and passed him the helmet.

“You’ll wanna put your phone in one of those pockets,” he advised as Connor slid it on. “There’s nothing worse than your phone flyin’ outta your pocket and gettin’ run over.”

“Oof. Yeah. Good thinking.” He grabbed his phone and wallet and slid them into the pockets, zipping them up to be safe.

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

“Great.” Gavin slid his helmet back on and hopped on the motorcycle. He immediately started the engine and revved it, smirking at Connor as he did. The guy was beet red by now and he loved making him so flustered. He waited for Connor to sit behind him before kicking the stand up and walking the bike out of the alley.

“You ever ridden a motorcycle before, Con?” Gavin asked over the roar of the engine.

“A fair few times,” he said as he slid closer, wrapping his arms around Gavin’s waist. Gavin’s breath hitched and he clenched the handlebars tighter. “I told you earlier, I like men with motorcycles.”

Fuck, Gavin wished he could see Connor’s face right now. His newfound confidence was sexy as hell, but he imagined his face was beet red hidden beneath the helmet. He revved the engine and Connor’s arms tightened around him, his hips sliding forward so he was practically laying on him. Gavin hummed, but he could barely hear it over the engine as he finally pulled out onto the street, taking them out toward the riverfront.

Connor’s arms never released their hold on him, and the warmth and weight of him pressed against his back was a huge comfort. He was right there, they were officially going on a first date, and he was taking him to one of his favorite lunch spots. He couldn’t believe his luck.

He pulled up outside La Lanterna 20 minutes later. He might have taken the scenic route just to feel Connor against him a little longer, but he did also want to take a more pleasing route wasn’t through the highway. He found a spot close to the building and parked, killing the engine as he kicked down the stand. Connor didn’t let go for a moment, instead he squeezed him a little harder before finally letting go. He dismounted with a practiced ease and took his helmet off, ruffling his hair.

“That was exhilarating,” he gasped, smiling at Gavin as he took off his own helmet.

“Glad you liked it,” he purred, running a hand through his own hair. “I really enjoy just riding to ride sometimes, you know? Helps take my mind off things.”

“That does sound nice,” Connor mused, smiling softly at Gavin as he finally hopped off the bike. “Maybe we could do that together sometime?”

“It’s a date.” Gavin grinned and pulled Connor down for a quick kiss, catching the younger man by surprise. He barely had time to kiss Gavin back before he was pulling away, patting his arm to get his attention back.

“Let’s go, Con. I’m starving and I wanna treat you to a delicious lunch.”

“But it’s _your_ birthday,” he argued. “Shouldn’t it be the other way around?”

“Let me treat you to lunch on my birthday. That can be your last-minute gift.”

“Hmf. Fine,” he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. The sleeves pulled up even further, exposing nearly half his forearm. Gavin laughed and kissed his cheek before walking forward, leading Connor into the restaurant.

The woman behind the counter smiled at them when the bell above the door jingled, but her entire face lit up when she saw who had walked in.

“Gavin!” she cried. “ _Bentornato, ragazzo mio!_ ”

“ _Ciao_ , Rosa,” he responded, waving at her. She walked over to him and gave him a hug, pressing a kiss to both his cheeks before pulling away.

“We haven’t seen you in a while,” she said, teasingly wagging her finger at him. “Where’ve you been?”

“Work’s been hell,” he explained with a shrug. “But someone’s gotta do it.”

“Yes, and we are so _proud_ of you for keeping the streets safe.” Gavin blushed (actually blushed!) at the praise and hung his head, his hair sweeping across his forehead.

“But who’s this handsome young man, eh?” she teased, smiling up at Connor and making him blush.

“Rosa, this is Connor. Connor, Rosa,” he said, gesturing between the two.

“Nice to meet you, Connor,” Rosa said, taking his hand to pull him in for a hug. Connor gasped in surprise as the tiny woman nearly squeezed the air out of him. “Gavin’s never brought a friend over before. Well, except for that young woman he works with. How long have you known him?”

“Um…” He flushed and bit his lip, unsure of how to answer. “About a… a day? Half a day?”

“Oh?” She pulled back and looked at them both. “How did this happen, Gavin?”

“He texted my number instead of his roommate’s last night,” he explained. “We talked for about half an hour and he invited me out to breakfast to meet each other. And so now I’ve invited him out for lunch.”

“Ah! And you decided to take him to the best Italian restaurant in Detroit, eh?” She winked and gently shoved him with her elbow, the two of them laughing. “An excellent choice. You go on and seat yourselves. Gianna will be with you shortly to take your orders.”

“Thanks, Rosa.” Gavin took Connor’s hand and lead him to his favorite table. He pulled his chair out for him and Connor blushed, ducking his head as he sat down. Gavin pressed a kiss to his temple before sitting down himself, resting his chin in his hand as he watched Connor look over the menu.

“Not many choices,” he stated, flipping the menu over to see if he’d missed something.

“No, but you don't need a lot of choices if the food’s good. And trust me, everything’s delicious,” Gavin assured him. “I’ve tried it all, so if you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask.”

“Oh. Good. That’s good.” He cleared his throat and looked back at the choices, his blush spreading down his neck. He was grateful for the waitress coming over with water. He was pretty sure he’d spontaneously combust at any moment from his first-date jitters.

“Hello, Gavin,” the young woman said as she placed the drinks down on the table. “How are you?”

“Doin’ well,” he answered, smiling up at her. “Got the day off for my birthday, so I brought a new friend out to lunch.”

“ _You’re_ treating him to lunch?” She sighed and shook her head. “You’ll never accept gifts from anyone, will you?”

“Probably not.” They laughed and she grabbed her notebook and a pencil out of her apron pocket, poised and ready to go.

“So, what’re you in the mood for today, Gav?”

“I’m feelin’ the Lasagna alla Bolognese today, Gianna.”

“An excellent choice, as always,” she said as she jotted it down. “And your friend?”

“Um… the ravioli, please.” She nodded and jotted that down as well before slipping the pencil behind her ear.

“I’ll get that right in for you two.” She smiled at them both before walking away, her ponytail bouncing erratically as she skipped away.

“She’s fun,” Connor muttered as she disappeared into the kitchen.

“She is,” Gavin agreed, waving at the chef as he leaned out the window to see him. “They all are.”

“So, these people,” Connor whispered, leaning in just in case anyone overheard him. “Are they your family?”

“Technically, no,” he answered. “But they’re the closest thing I’ve got to family.”

“Oh.” Connor blushed, wishing he’d never asked. “Sorry.”

“No, no. It’s fine,” Gavin assured him, placing a hand over Connor’s on the table. “I can see why you’d think that though, since Rosa greeted me like that.”

“She called you her boy, right?” Connor tilted his head as he racked his brain for the translation.

“Yeah. D’you speak Italian?”

“Not very fluently,” he answered with a shrug. “But I can speak German.”

“Really?” Gavin sat back, an impressed smirk on his face. “Could you say something to me in German?”

“Oh. Um… sure.” He cleared his throat and looked down at their hands as he muttered, “ _Ich finde du siehst wirklich gut aus._ ”

“And what’s that mean?”

“That I think you look really good,” he mumbled, his blush returning tenfold. Gavin blushed too and squeezed Connor’s hand, looking down at the table.

“Thanks,” he muttered. “I… uh… think you look good too.”

“Thanks.” Connor cleared his throat and reached for his water, sucking down deep gulps through the straw. He didn’t stop until the glass was over half empty.

“Feel better?” Gavin asked, smiling softly at him.

“A bit, yeah,” Connor gasped as he caught his breath.

“Think you’re feelin’ up to some small talk?”

“I think so.”

“We’ll take turns asking each other questions, so no one dominates the conversation, OK?”

“But what if I _want_ you to dominate?” Connor said before he could stop himself. He gasped and covered his mouth with his hands, his face turning an alarming shade of red. Gavin burst out laughing, leaning so far back in his chair he had to grab onto the table to stop himself from falling over. Connor covered his face and turned away, wanting nothing more than to curl into a ball and die.

“Oh my fucking god!” Gavin wheezed, gasping for breath. “Way to give yourself away, Con.”

“I wanna die, I wanna die, I wanna die,” he mumbled, shaking his head.

“Please, don’t.” He reached out to drag Connor’s hands down but he resisted. He whimpered and shook his head, not wanting Gavin to see him.

“Connor,” he said sternly, making the younger man freeze. “Stop. Lower your hands.”

Connor’s hands shook, but he obeyed. He lowered them so they were clenched in his lap, his gaze staring down at the table.

“S-sorry,” he stammered.

“You’re fine, Con,” Gavin assured him, reaching out to cradle his cheek in his palm. He immediately melted into the soft touch, barely biting back a soft whine. “But please don’t hide.”

“I didn’t mean to say that,” he mumbled, rubbing his cheek against Gavin’s hand. “I didn’t… we barely know each other.”

“Then let’s get to know each other.” Gavin scooted his chair closer to Connor and dropped his hand from his cheek. “I’ll start, OK?”

“OK,” Connor whispered.

“How old are you?”

“I turned 25 in August,” he answered. “Is that–?”

“No, Con, you’re fine,” he assured him before he could ask. “I don’t think you’re too young.”

“Oh. OK.” He cleared his throat and reached for his water again, his hands still slightly shaking. “Um… where’d you go to college? If you went.”

“I went to UofM,” he said proudly. “Studied criminology and dabbled in psychology. I joined the police academy after I graduated. And you?”

“I also went to UofM, but I studied business and marketing.”

“What made you want to do that?”

“I’ve always wanted to run a business,” he answered with a shrug. “I never wanted to be a CEO or anything, but I just wanted to run a place that I could call my own. And now I do.”

“Wait.” Gavin pulled back, smiling at Connor who was avidly watching him. “You own the café?”

“I do,” he stated, grinning from ear to ear. “Bought it from the previous owners who were moving out of the country.”

“Holy shit,” Gavin whispered in awe. “That’s amazing. You’re only 25 and you already own your own business.”

“Yeah, it’s surreal,” he agreed. “I sometimes can’t believe this is my life, you know?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I know,” Gavin murmured. Connor blushed and ducked his face away, but Gavin could still see his smile. He reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” a voice uttered behind them, “but I have your food.”

Gavin quickly pulled back and smiled at Gianna as she set their plates down. She smiled at them both and patted Gavin’s arm, whispering something in his ear that Connor didn’t quite catch. Gavin gently smacked her arm, making her laugh.

“Can I get you two anything else?” she asked, still laughing. “Some more water?”

“I’ll take some, yeah,” Connor said. “Thanks.”

“I’ll be right back with a fresh glass.” She giggled and turned away, disappearing into the kitchen once more. She returned a minute later with another glass of water and set it in front of Connor before scuttling off again.

“What did she say to you?” he asked when she was out of earshot.

“Oh, um…” Gavin blushed and looked down at his plate of food. “That she’d been standing behind us for a few minutes before she spoke up.”

“Oh.” Connor blushed too and ran a hand through his hair. “Oops.” Gavin snorted and shook his head, the tension broken.

They quickly dug into their food, chatting idly about anything and everything. They talked about their favorite books and movies, about how Connor had met Daniel through an online ad looking for a roommate, about Gavin’s cats, and even about Connor’s business prospects. He loved working at the café, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted that to be his whole career or if he wanted to move on to something else in the future.

All too soon, their food was gone, but they kept talking. Connor had relaxed significantly after his outburst, which Gavin was grateful for. He loved listening to him talk. He had such a soft, soothing voice. He could probably fall asleep listening to him if he tried. But for now he just leaned on the table, his chin balanced on his hand, and listened to him talk about his childhood dog.

“I always thought he was a giant, you know?” he said, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all. “I was so small, and he was so big! I didn’t get taller than him until I was almost 12, and then I just” –he smacked his hands together and raised his right hand high in the air– “shot up like a weed. Suddenly I was almost six feet tall, but I didn’t hit that milestone until the start of high school.”

“Man, I _wish_ I’d shot up like a weed,” Gavin groaned. “I’ve been the same height since I was 16.”

“I mean, you’re still _tall_ , Gav,” Connor assured him.

“Yeah, but you’re taller.” He stretched up to kiss his cheek, a soft blush dusting Connor’s nose. “I like it though.”

“Oh. OK.” Connor flushed deeper and smiled down at their hands, which they’d been holding tightly on the tabletop for quite some time now.

“Are you two all set?” Gianna asked as she stopped by to check on them.

“Yeah,” Gavin said, smiling at her. “We’ll have the check now, Gi.”

“Alrighty. But can I get you two a birthday dessert to share before you leave?” she asked as she gathered their empty plates.

“Yes! We’ll take a tartufo to go, please,” Gavin said.

“What’s that?” Connor asked, cocking his head to the side. Gavin about died at the sight. He was too cute.

“It’s an ice cream dessert,” Gianna explained. “There’s a fruity center, and two different flavors of ice cream, and it’s frozen into a ball and covered in chocolate.”

“Oh my god, that sounds _amazing_ ,” Connor gushed, licking his lips. “Can we have two?”

“Of course.” She disappeared into the kitchen and came back a few minutes later, their check and a small to-go box in her hands.

“Thanks, Gianna.” He accepted both but gave the box to Connor. “You still aren’t paying.” Connor huffed and sat back in his seat, pouting. Gavin pulled his wallet out and pulled out a few bills as he did some math in his head.

“Shit,” he grumbled. “I need some extra change for the tip.”

“I think I have some,” Connor said, already digging into his pockets.

“How much’ve you got?”

“Um…” He reached further into his pockets and pulled out some change, counting it under his breath. “Sixty-nine cents.”

“Ha!” Gavin laughed. “You know what _that_ means.” He waggled his eyebrows but Connor frowned, his bottom lip trembling.

“I don’t have enough money for chicken nuggets,” Connor choked out. Gavin froze, staring at the young man sitting beside him as he tried not to laugh.

“Did… Did you just…?” Gavin stammered, unable to finish the question. Connor pressed his lips into a thin line, still trying to keep his laughter at bay as he nodded.

“Oh my god, I think I love you,” Gavin whispered in awe.

Connor finally broke, sputtering as the laughter finally bubbled free. They both fell over the table, trying to stifle their laughter in their hands, but Gavin still sounded like a braying donkey, which only made Connor laugh harder until he could barely breathe. It took them a good five minutes to calm down, but even then they were still laughing intermittently as they caught their breath.

“That… that’s seriously all it… it took?” Connor asked between breaths. He sniffled and wiped tears from his eyes. “I had to quote a vine to get you to love me?”

“I mean, _you_ made the love potion coffee!” Gavin countered, sitting up to push his hair out of his face. “I drank two cups!”

“And the vine just completed the spell,” Connor joked, shaking his head. “It’s official. You’re mine now.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He pulled Connor in for a tender kiss, humming against his lips.

“Let’s go back to my place,” he suggested when they pulled apart. “We can eat this dessert and watch _iRobot_ or something.”

“I’d like that,” Connor murmured.

“And maybe we can make out on the couch too.” Gavin smirked and winked, making Connor blush anew.

“I’d like that even more,” he whispered.

“I thought you might.” He stood up and took Connor’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “Let’s get outta here.”

Connor nodded and stood up, grabbing his helmet off the floor before they headed for the door.

“ _Buon compleanno, ragazzo mio!_ ” Rosa shouted after them as they left.

“ _Grazie, Rosa!_ ” Gavin shouted back, blowing her a kiss before the door closed behind them.

He led Connor back to the motorcycle and gave him a quick kiss before they slid their helmets back on. They hopped on and Connor wrapped his arms around Gavin’s waist, squeezing him tight while trying not to squish the box their dessert was in.

“Happy birthday, Gavin,” he whispered, resting his head on his shoulder. “I’m so glad I accidentally texted you.”

“Me too, babe,” Gavin murmured, reaching down to pat Connor’s hand. “Me too.”

“Let’s hurry back to your place. I really wanna kiss you.”

“You got it.”

He kicked the stand up and started the engine, revving it to feel Connor press closer to him, their hips perfectly slotted together. He peeled away from the curb and they rode back into the heart of the city, heading back to his apartment. His grin never left the entire ride.

It was the best birthday of his entire life, and Connor was the best gift to have been brought into it.

He was officially the luckiest man in the world.


End file.
